Timer-switch control mechanism



March 11, 1952 Q EY ET AL TIMER-SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1948 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 TIMER-SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM Chauncey Gordon Reynard and Charles D. Hoover, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignors to Basic Products Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application December 27, 1948, Serial No. 67,534

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to timer-switch control mechanism and more particularly to timerswitch mechanism adapted for the defrosting of refrigerators and similar uses.

An object of the invention is to provide switch control mechanism of improved construction effective for periodically breaking a circuit leading to a refrigerator for defrosting the refrigerator; A further object is to provide switch mechanism and means for adjusting the position of the switch mechanism to vary the period of time in which said switch is open. Yet another object is to provide novel means for driving a timer device while also providing for the ready adjustment of the timer device through manual movement thereof. A still further object is to provide an actuating arm driven by timing mechanism in combination with a movably mounted switch and with means for accurately adjusting the switch support whereby the actuating arm engages the switch for a greater or lesser period during its rotation by said timing mechanism. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, l designates a casing formed of plastic, metal or any other suitable material. Supported within the casing is a synchronous motor, the housing of which is indicated by the numeral II. The synchronous motor drives a shaft l2. Since the synchronous motor and the shaft |2 driven thereby are of wellknown construction, a further detailed description is believed unnecessary. It will also be understood that clockwork or any other timing mechanism may be employed for rotating the drive shaft l2. The casing is equipped with rearwardly extending prongs l3 adapted to be received within the socket of an electric outlet and the prongs |2 are connected by means of the strap [4 and arms |5 for wiring connections (not shown) with the electric apparatus in the casing.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the casing I0 is provided with a rear plate l6 and with an integral forwardly extending frame member IT. A front plate I8 is secured to the standard I] and extends across the front of the casing ll.

Fixed to the plate I8 is a post I9 on which is mounted a sleeve member 20. Fixed upon the sleeve is a timer disk 2| having peripheral teeth 22. A pin 23 extends inwardly from the disk 2| and is equipped with a roller 24. The roller 24 is adapted to engage a switch, as will be later described, for the opening of the switch. The sleeve is equipped at its outer end with an .outer sleeve or insulator 25 and a handle or knob 26 is secured to the outer sleeve by a setscrew 21. The knob 26 may be provided with an indicator arm 23. Preferably, the surface 29 may be equipped with an indicator scale, etc., for use with the indicator 28.

The fixed post I9 is equipped at its outer side with a head 30 and a compression spring 3| is housed between the head 30 and the bottom of the recess 32, as shown best in Fig. 3. The spring normally urges the sleeve 20 inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. However, the knob 26 may be drawn outwardly against the force of spring 3| to disengage the teeth 22 of the disk 2| from the drive shaft |2 so that the disk 2| may then be freely rotated to bring it into any desired position.

The shaft I2 is provided with spaced drive pins 33 and 34 as shown best in Fig. I. The spaced pins engage the teeth 22 of disk 2| and cause the disk 2| to be rotated as shaft I2 is rotated.

We prefer to employ a movably mounted switch together with means for adjusting the switch in an arcuate path or in a path toward or away from the actuating roller 24. In the specific illustration given, we provide a support or beam 35 having at one end a depending arm 36 pivotally mounted upon a stud 31. At its other end, the beam 35 is provided with a depending arm 38 having an elongated slot 39 therein. .A stud 40 is fixed upon the mounting plate [8 and carries a forwardly extending post 4|. Upon the post 4| is mounted a sleeve 42 equipped at its inner end with a cam 43 eccentrically positioned upon the post 4|. Fixed to the cam sleeve 42 is a cam insulator or sleeve 44 and a cam knob 45 is fixed to the sleeve 44 by a setscrew 46. The knob 45 may also be provided with a pointer 41 for use with a scale or other indicator device. By rotating the knob 45, the cam sleeve 42 is turned so as to move the cam 43 Within the slot 39 of arm 38, thus raising or lowering the switch support or beam 35.

Suspended from the beam 35 is a switch 48. Any suitable form of switch may be employed. In the illustration given, a well-known form of switch is illustrated. A bracket arm 49 is suspended from the beam 35 and is apertured to receive the spring members 50 and 5 l The spring member 50 is provided with an opening receiving the depending spring member 5| and it carries at its inner end a contact 52. A fixed contact 53 is supported upon the beam 35. The sp member 5| has a depending arm portion 54 adapted to engage the roller 24. As the spring 54 is pressed upwardly, the upper spring member 5! is flexed downwardly at its inner end so as to separate the contacts 52 and 53, as shown in Fig. 1. However, as the roller 24 moves out of contact with the lower arm 54, the spring members 50 and 5| assume their normal position in which the inner contact 52 is pressed upwardly against contact 53. Since such switch structure is very well known and no claim per se is made thereto; herein, a further detailed description is believed unnecessary. It will be understood that suitable wiring connections lead from the switch to the refrigerator so that upon the opening of the switch 48, current to the refrigerator or other electric device ceases to flow.

Operation In the operation of the. structure, the synchronous motor steadily rotates the shaft 12 and the spaced pins 33 and 34 rotate, the timer disk 2i. When the timer disk 2| brings the pin 23 and its roller 24' to the position shown in Fig. 1, the roller. raises. the lower arm 54. of switch 48 to break the contacts 52. and 53 and thus current tothe refrigerator fails to flow. The roller 24 holds the switch arm 54. in elevated positionv for a period of time, as, for example, one hour or two hours, etc-., toefiect: defrosting of therefrigerator. After the: lapse. of the desired length of time, the roller24 clears the arm 54. and the, spring switch automatically brings contacts 52 and 53 together,

thus restoringthe current flow to the refrigerator.

When it is desired to manually adjust the timer disk 2|, this. may be accomplished by drawing the knob 26. outwardly against the force of spring 3| to.disconnect the teeth 22 of disk 2| from the drive pins 33 and 34,.- of shaft [2 and the disk 21 may thenbe freely rotated to the desired position and upon release, the spring 3i again brings the teeth 22 of disk 2|, into alignment with the drive pins 33 and 34 of shaft I2. Thus, if it is desired tohave.therefrigerator current shut off at about twelve-.oclock or one oclock atnight, the disk 2] may beset'inthe above manner so as to. bring about such result. In thesetting operation, the

pointer 28-. is. moved toapoint on the scale showing. the timev at which. defrosting will; begin.

Refrigerators of; different makesandindividual refrigerators of the same make vary, substantially in operation so that, a periodiof defrosting which 4 is satisfactory for one refrigerator is not satisfactory for another. Further, as a refrigerator changes in efiiciency of operation after several years of service, it is often desired to change the defrosting period. By mounting the switch beam 35 upon a pivot stud and by swinging the beam upwardly or downwardly through the rotation of cam 43, the switch arm 54 is raised or lowered relative to the actuating roller 24. Thus, the

- period in which the actuating roller 24 is in contact with the switch arm 54 is decreased or increased depending upon the position of beam support 35. By movement of the cam 43, the period of defrosting may thus be varied from an hour or less to several hours and this result is achieved by merely rotating the cam knob 45.

While in the foregoing specification, we have set forth much of the structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled, in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

Timer mechanism comprising a clock motor provided'with a step-down gear box and an output shaft adapted to rotate continuously at a speed of one revolution per hour, a pair of spaced drive pins. mounted on said shaft, extending parallel to the axis thereof. and symmetrically disposed with respect thereto, a toothed gear having for-tyeight teeth, said gear being mounted near said drive pins for periodic engagement therewith and intermittent rotation thereby, the average rotational speed of said gear being one revolution per day, a follower mounted for revolution in synchronism with said gear, switch mechanism intermittently actuated by. said follower during r0.- tation of said gear, and means for retracting manually the toothed gear in an axial direction to disengage the same from said drive pins to permit manual adjustment of the relative positions of said follower and said pins.

C: GORDON, REYNARD. CHARLES D. HOOVER.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UN ITED' STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,495,020 Hall May 20, 1924 2,096,792 Cutting Oct. 26, 1937 2,194,586 Brown et al Mar. 26, 1940 2,229,001 Buttner Jan, 14, 1941 2,527,061 Haigh Oct. 24, 1950 

